Posts tagged Charlene Carter
Court of Appeals Hearing Arguments in Case Brought by Southwest Flight Attendant Who Was Illegally Fired for Criticizing Union Officials
June 5, 2024 // Carter resigned from union membership in 2013 but was still forced to pay fees to TWU Local 556 as a condition of her employment. The Railway Labor Act (RLA), the federal law that governs labor relations in the air and rail industries, permits the firing of employees for refusal to pay dues and preempts the protections that state Right to Work laws provide. However, the RLA does protect employees’ rights to refrain from union membership, to speak out against the union and its leadership, and to advocate for changing the union’s current leadership. In January 2017, Carter, a pro-life Christian, learned that then-TWU Local 556 President Audrey Stone and other Local 556 officials used union dues to attend a political rally in Washington, D.C., which was sponsored by activist groups she deeply opposed, including Planned Parenthood.
Federal judge sanctions Southwest Airlines, holds in civil contempt
August 9, 2023 // The Center Square also acquired copies of emails sent by a union representative referring to Carter as a “cancerous tumor” that needed to be “eradicated when ever [sic] possible or it spreads.” The member also said she was “incredibly dangerous” and that he was “all about targeted assassinations.” TWU didn’t respond to a request for comment when asked if it supported what appears to be an incitement to violence against or targeted harassment of employees. Carter initially sued, receiving free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation, after she was fired for opposing union dues being used for causes that violated her conscience related to promoting abortion. She alleged that Southwest Airlines discriminated against her religious beliefs, violating Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964 and the Local 556 violated the Railway Labor Act. The jury unanimously agreed and awarded her over $5 million.
Flight Attendant Asks for Contempt Ruling Against Southwest for Violating Court Order Regarding Illegal Firing at Union’s Behest
January 9, 2023 // District Court ordered Southwest to announce that airline may not discriminate on basis of religion; airline instead effectively denied wrongdoing despite jury verdict With free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Southwest Airlines flight attendant Charlene Carter is seeking sanctions against Southwest for flouting the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas’ decision in her case. Carter sued both Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556 and Southwest in 2017 for firing her over opposing the union’s political stances – a violation of both the Railway Labor Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Federal Judge Rejects Attempt by TWU Union and Southwest to Thwart Flight Attendant’s Religious Discrimination Suit
May 11, 2022 // Carter resigned from union membership but was still forced to pay fees to TWU Local 556 as a condition of her employment. State Right to Work laws do not protect her from forced union fees because airline and railway employees are covered by the federal Railway Labor Act (RLA). The RLA allows union officials to have a worker fired for refusing to pay union dues or fees. But it does protect the rights of employees to remain nonmembers of the union, to criticize the union and its leadership, and advocate for changing the union’s current leadership.